There is nothing anyone can say or do to change someone from a Democrat to a Republican or vise versa. It is not an outside process where one person can explain one's position and it will have an effect. It is inside realization that you see things one way or another. I do believe you can change to a different party, but that change may just be a final realization that you believe X. I come to this conclusion based on a number of political events. First the Clinton impeachment hearing...
Dear America, I am puzzeled. George Bush and his administration have proven to be unable to lead this country in a positive direction. The President started with a message of unity, reaching across the aisle by putting Andy Card, a Democrat and Colin Powell an Independent, in his cabinet. But then something changed. All his actions and policies have come from the FAR right? If George Bush was interested in moderate views wouldn't he have chosen them from among his cabinet and party? W...
Decide for yourself. This is your America. Washington is full of monuments with beautiful words proclaiming our freedom, justice and humanity. Many men and women have died protecting our rights and our ideals based on those beautiful words. Many presidents both Republican and Democrat have held office and have tried to do their best to live up to those incredible words. I guess the question is do you believe in those words? Because ,in this administration, that talks about character,...
Although I haven't give up hope completely, the fact that Republicans are able to pull better than 50% of the country with them is very troubling for Kerry supporters and very real to those watching the election campaigns. I have tried to finess, explain as clearly as I possiblly could, and made comparisons that I thought no one would agree with--echoing many different sources that I thought really had an angle on what is truly going on in this country. I'm not talking about the rumor mills...
It was a different time: Mom stayed at home to raise the kids, Dad did whatever was necessary to feed the family. Grandma and Grandpa lived right down the street. Your neighbors looked out for you and yours. You never had to lock the doors. Do you remember drinking lemonade at the kitchen table? or fishing in the river? There are many stereotypes that describe a more peaceful time, a more wholesome time. The question is can we go back? Can we go back to a simpler time, a time of f...
Just as the sun rises in the East so do Republicans attempt to define Democrats as lefty, liberal, uninformed and socialistic. Do they really believe that to be the case? I was watching George McGovern, democratic candidate of old, and Bob Dole have a friendly debate the other night. It was very civil, unlike any of the discourse you hear today. Anyway, George was talking about giving health care to all uninsured children under 6 years of age. Then he said, if that worked, extend it ...
From the "Contract with America" in 1994 to the taking of both houses of Congress, a percieved solidarity is present between the Heartland and the GOP. According to a recent article in Harper's entitled "Lie Down for America" by Thomas Frank, this case is made by explaining that the GOP claim to have the same values as the heartland. While people on the coasts too often eat-out and live in apartments and go about life taking all sides into consideration, and therefore can't make a stand o...
Conservatives and Republicans are part of my everyday life. So I've decided to try and get in their shoes and walk a mile (as the saying goes). So let's put aside Democratic principles for a moment, and try to become a Conservative/Republican. The first thing that comes to mind is to put on suit, but that would be wrong. Sure, some Republicans have jobs that require them to put on a suit, but your run-of-the-mill Republican is really much different. From what I've seen, he or she is m...
As I think of the promises candidates will make in the coming months. I think back to the 2000 election and George Bush's eloquent position of "Compassionate Conservatism." I was dissappointed we had lost the election. But I thought compassionate conservatism would be "compassionate" after all. Many of the Democratic Policies are based, I believe, on being compassionate, so if we lost, this was really a good man to lose to. I think everyone who is a democrat, and I hope many Republican...
Living on the left side of things I decided to check out Air America on the AM Dial. Being from the Northeast one can access Air America in New York, Boston and Portland Maine. I've also heard listeners call in from other states as well so check out their website at www.airamericaradio.com to tune in. I was very impressed with the O' Franken Factor, usually on at lunchtime, as a reasonable leftist trying to explain his positions to both the left and the right. The format has Al Franke...
Now there's a problem isn't it? Kerry's a waffler, Clinton was a waffler, in fact every democrat I can think of in the past few years has been a waffler. Come to think of it, more than a few Republicans have been wafflers too. Thank Goodness! No, people will say-- you must "stick to your guns" and "stay the course." Well, sure that type of approach is good as long as your open to new ideas. Frankly, anyone that sticks to anything for the sake of sticking is making a HUGE mistake. Even...
One issue stands as both the strongest argument for the removal of President Bush and his next administration: His world view. According to a program on "Democracy Now" expert after expert seems to site Bush's simplistic understanding of the world as the primary threat to world peace, stating that a pax americana caused by the Bush Administration's doctrine of preventive attack will eventually unify the world against the United States and cause more not less terrorism. According to the...
Have you noticed how frequently the average American's patriotism is questioned these days. "American-hating" is a phrase thrown around as casually "brown-nosing" or "loose-lipped" or "being-hypocritical" or "mean-spirited" or for that matter "custom-made", "four-wheeling" and "hot chocolate." We seemed to have turned insults into everyday language. I guess we have a lot to say to one another. And although everyone has the right to say what they want, (maybe not where they want) do t...
Massachusetts will be allowing gay marriages! So what!? How far have we come, as a people who believe in non-discrimination? What exactly do people think non-discrimination means anyway? Gay people have been around for at least as long as the Bible passage that condemns them. In other words, this is no passing fad! Over much time and much persecution gay people have slowly made a place for themselves in society, albeit an alternative place. If you think about how history has progres...
Have you noticed the extent to which the "party-line" dominates politics? Both camps privately tee-hee over mostly over-simplifications and half-truths that make their believer's feel good down in their their tummies. Great for parties, these zingers can hit a member of the opposite side right-between-the-eyes at thirty-paces. Un-proven or investigated, these gems easily find their way to mainstream television both in comedy and news programs where they take on a different, more sinister, ...